Bangkok (VNA) – Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt on May 13 declared an official end to a six-week mission to search for the bodies of workers who perished in the rubble of the collapsed State Audit Office (SAO) building after the earthquake on March 28.
The search and rescue operation led by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) also included soldiers, police, volunteers and officials.
A total of 109 people were listed as working inside the building when the earthquake struck. However, four of the listed people reported later that they were were absent from the site and returned home after learning of the tragic event.
Search teams have recovered 89 bodies, while seven people have remained missing and nine others injured.
According to Bangkok Deputy Governor Tavida Kamolvej, 296 body parts and bones had been found at the site and were sent to Police General Hospital for DNA matching to see if they belonged to any of those still missing.
The last day of the operation started with K-9 units making a final sweep, sniffing the mountain of debris and other materials for any more signs of humans trapped.
The area in the capital's Chatuchak district will be officially handed over to the SAO and other relevant agencies on May 15./.
